A New Kind of Hero
by AmaranthEnchantment
Summary: Alternate universe story. The Hundred Year War never happened. Avatar Aang lived for those hundred years and aged. There were disputes he settled before they blossomed into fighting. And when he dies, that same day two Waterbenders are born; Katara and Yue. Now the Council of Nations has called these two Waterbenders together to decided once and for all who the next Avatar will be.
1. An Unexpected Joy

**A/N: So this is an idea I got I think when I was supposed to sleeping. It's an alternate universe where the Hundred Year War never happened. But things are still the same. Zuko has a scar from a small fire bending accident. Somethings are different though, like Kya, Katara's mother is still alive. It might be a longish story, actually... I planned on it just being a one-shot. Woo for Zutara!**

Laughter and dancers swirled around a young Katara as she looked at the Four Nations. GranGran walked ahead of Mama who held Katara's hand tightly. Katara's mother hurried her along. Her mother thought she was the Avatar. She had been born not long after Avatar Aang died; as in minutes later. She and one other waterbender had been born that same day, within minutes of each other. A girl named Yue from the Northern Water Tribe. Katara had met her once and had felt lesser than the beautiful princess.

The Council of Nations met every year at the Festival of the Four Nations. They invited Yue and Katara to see who would need training to be the next Avatar. Katara felt nervous as she passed through the crowds. Then a little fire nation boy with a scar on his eye ran into her.

"Ow!" she cried.

"Katara!" her mother said, picking her up and dusting her off.

"Sorry," the little boy said, looking at her mother. Kya smiled at him reassuringly, picking up her young daughter.

"Zuko! Do not run off from me anymore." A tall, regal looking lady walked over. She looked strict and soft at the same time.

"Yes, Mama..." he mumbled.

"I'm sorry if your daughter was hurt, miss."

"I'm fine." She looked at the lady with fierce eyes. She laughed and her mother gasped, curtseying slightly.

"You're the wife of the Fire Lord."

"Was. We are not together anymore. Zuko and I live in the Earth Kingdom. He has fire lessons from his Uncle every week."

"My condolences." A clock rang out and her mother gasped again.

"We must go!" She hurried off, leaving the two standing there. She headed to the Council of the Nations' small meeting house. Kya set Katara down and backed away quickly. Katara stood there feeling scared. The four men that sat in front of them, looking mean and scary. Two guards walked out with a large, rolled, lumpy canvas. They set it down and carefully unrolled it. Then Yue was called up to pick out four toys and bring them to the Council. The small girl with the white hair of an old woman stared at the toys and picked four at random and took them up to the old men.

They looked at them and shook their heads and sent her back to her mother. She cried and they carried her out, looking disappointed. They called Katara up next, after the four toys had been replaced. She looked at them warily. Her eyes wandered up and down the long row. She picked a small, clay turtle. A pull-string propeller toy. A small wooden monkey. And finally, a wooden hand drum. She bit her lip and carried them up to the old, watchful members. The wizened men looked at each other, seeming to share thoughts with looks alone. The Earth representee spoke, his voice sounding like dark, warm soil.

"Kya. Your daughter, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe is the Avatar."


	2. Start of a Whole New World

They sat in shocked silence.

"She will master all four elements. Has she mastered Water?"

"Yes sir. She mastered it at a young age. Show them Katara." The small child took the water pouch she carried with her and pulled the cap off, drawing the water out slowly. She made it move eight water tendrils around her, swishing gently. The panel gasped.

"That is a master Waterbender technique!" The Northern Water tribe man exclaimed. Kya nodded and smiled, proud of her six year old daughter.

"Her training will start tomorrow. You will stay here in the Fire Nation, as it will take you the longest to master this element. You are dismissed." The four old geezers stood up and left. Katara let out a small sigh. Her life just got complicated.

**A/N: Two months later and here is the second chapter! :D**


	3. Making New Friends

The next morning Katara met with someone named Iroh, a great Firebender.

"Care for some tea?" was the first thing he asked in his kindly voice. Katara immediately relaxed. Something about his tone made her. He wasn't like the other rough Firebenders she'd met before.

A boy appeared behind her.

"Good morning, Uncle." Katara startled and turned around to see the little boy with the scar from the Festival.

"Ah! Zuko! We have company. Tell him your name, dear."

"I- I'm Katara of the Southern Water tribe." Zuko grumbled a reply.

"You may call me Uncle or Iroh. Either I am fine with." He smiled kindly and let her watch as he ran through basic exercises with Zuko. A funk fell over Katara. Fire was the exact opposite of her element. It would take years for her to master it.


	4. Twelve Years of Waiting

**_Twelve years later..._**

Today was Katara's eighteenth birthday. And she was getting to move on from Firebending! She'd finally mastered it. First, she was going to go home and see her family. Her father and Sokka and her mother. She missed them dearly. Kya's necklace still adorned her throat, blue as the water in the south.

Katara and Prince Zuko had become great friends, ever since that first day. He had a terrible temper but Katara was patient and kind. And had waters with which to heal. Lucky too, because she had burns from herself and her teachers.

Zuko approached Katara, who was wearing a traditional Fire Nation dress his mother let her borrow. He thought she looked amazing, with her dark skin and blue eyes. Before he continued, he shook his head and walked up to her.

"You look nice Katara."

"You too, Zuko." She smiled at him with a small smile, looking at him through her eyelashes. They stood their awkwardly before Uncle walked over to her.

"We're ready to board the ship." The new Avatar walked slowly to the Fire Nation ship and climbed aboard, to many cheering people. She had tried to help where she could when she was not playing with fire. The people had decided that they loved this new Avatar. She moved onto the Earth Kingdom to learn how to move the earth on which she stood.


End file.
